A rigid, non-collapsible display rack for carpet swatches is known and widely used in the art. Such racks include rigid metal side frame members tied together by a plurality of channeled vertically spaced cross braces to which the various shelves are affixed. The shelves are glued or otherwise attached along their inside edges to the side panels of the device. The edges of the side panels are riveted to the frame. Also, the upper back edges of the shelves are attached to the back wall of the rack. None of the parts are hinged or allowed to articulate.
Racks of this nature are extremely bulky, usually measuring 6 or more feet in height, 2 or more feet in width and 7 or 8 inches in depth. Since present freight and hauling rates are based on both weight and volume, these rigid racks are quite expensive to ship. Recent increases in freight and hauling rates have in fact made the costs prohibitive in that they may exceed the selling price the manufacturer obtains for his product. Consequently, a reduction in the volume of racks of this kind without sacrifice of strength, appearance or utility is desirable.
However, these display racks must be fabricated of strong, light-weight and inexpensive materials which do not leave many degrees of freedom when it comes to reducing their volumes for shipping to the end user in knock-down form because of their relative complex structure and the necessity that, in assembled condition, they remain rigid and strong enough to support forty or more carpet swatches of considerable weight.